Princess Leia and the Conundrum of Language Translation
An excerpt from “The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves, The Words Behind World-Building.”
10 Questions for Dava Newman
The new NASA deputy administrator chats about her influences and the space agency’s big plans for Mars.
Agatha Christie: From Pharmacist’s Apprentice to Poison Expert
An excerpt from “A Is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie.”
From Shaking Palsy to Parkinson’s: Defining a Neurodegenerative Disease
An excerpt from “Brain Storms: The Race to Unlock the Mysteries of Parkinson’s Disease.”
From Atop an Ecuadorian Peak, an Epiphany About Nature
An excerpt from “The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World.”
A Vaginal Ecologist’s Crusade Against HIV in Women
Sharon Hillier is using her expertise in women’s nether regions to bring an HIV-prevention drug—targeting females—to market.
An Origami Bunny, Made From DNA
Researchers have developed a method to build tiny structures out of DNA based on 3-D polygonal shapes created with a computer.
A Corpse Flower Blooms in Denver
The putrid odor of a large tropical plant has begun wafting through the Denver Botanic Gardens—and visitors are lining up to inhale deeply.